Georgia Magazine - November 2010 - (Page 31)

Georgia Nature Center As part of the World Environmental Organization, Georgia Nature Center features a “Next Generation” home that’s solar-powered and environmentally green, one of the largest collections of carnivorous and pitcher plants in the U.S., exhibits for solar and wind power and an organic farm. It began as a nature preserve in 1999, founded by Jeff Gold. By 2006, the facility had become an education center. “We’re the largest education center of our kind in the Southeast,” Gold observes. Located in Oconee County in Watkinsville, just 20 minutes south of Athens, the center has 100 acres of rolling hills, creeks, hardwood forests and meadows. The clean-energy exhibition features 3,000 watts of solar power, a wind turbine and a 600-foot-long geothermal air-cooling system. The organic farm shows how plants are grown without man-made pesticides and fertilizers. There are nature trails for viewing flora and fauna where people Visitors can stop by the Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center for binoculars and a field guide to take them out on the trails where they can easily spot birds and other wildlife. excitement of scientific discovery,” says Hughes. “We want to convert people to become bird-watchers, and so we give them the environment In partnership with the city and the tools to develop this lifelong of Columbus, Muskogee County hobby.” Schools, Columbus Waterworks and The center, 10 miles from downColumbus State University, the 1,600- town Columbus, is one of the most acre Environmental Learning Center diverse locations for wildlife. “It’s at Oxbow Meadows Environmental located where the Piedmont meets Park is a hands-on wildlife refuge the Coastal Plain, and that’s what with hiking trails, feeding stations makes this part of Georgia unique,” and field scientists on staff from she says. “We’re also right across Columbus State. from Fort Benning, which has been “We use Gainesville designated an important bird area, so natural hiswe have quite a treasure here.” Roswell tory and the Visitors can take workshops; Watkinsville charisma of wildwhen they go on nature hikes, the life, particularly center will loan them bird identiColumbus birding, to engage fication books and binoculars. Savannah the public in the “We want people to get excited Thomasville about nature,” Hughes says. Environmental Learning Center at Oxbow Meadows Environmental Park, Columbus. oxbow.colstate.edu. (706) 687-4090. Environmental Learning Center at Oxbow Meadows Environmental Park OXBOW MEADOWS pavilions and along the miles of trails. Elachee sponsors at least a half-dozen activities each month. Elachee Nature Science Center, Gainesville. elachee.org. (770) 5351976. can hike on their own or participate in guided tours. The center’s newest feature is “Tornado Alley,” where last year a 900-foot-wide tornado actually passed through the preserve and toppled thousands of trees. “It’s a very hands-on way for people to see the massive damage a tornado creates,” Gold says. Georgia Nature Center, Watkinsville. naturecenter. com. (800) 800-2099. • • Birdsong Nature Center Nestled on 565 acres in South Georgia between Thomasville and Tallahassee, Fla., Birdsong Nature Center has been a nature preserve and education center since 1986. Originally a Southern plantation owned by the Dickey Family, it was purchased in 1938 by Ed, wife Betty and his brother Roy Komarek who developed it into a diverse habitat for wildlife. (Continued on page 32) 31 Georgia Nature Center visitors are allowed to touch almost everything, including looking inside these 3-foot-tall carnivorous pitcher plants. November 2010 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org GEORGIA NATURE CENTER http://www.elachee.org http://www.naturecenter.com http://www.naturecenter.com http://oxbow.colstate.edu http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - November 2010

Georgia Magazine - November 2010
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar
Currents
A Tour of Honor
Making it Pay in Georgia
Around Georgia
My Georgia
Georgia Cooks
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - November 2010